Bowling pin



May 14, 1946. w, HIgNLEY 2,400,089

BOWLING PIN Q I Filed Dec. 11, 1943 VV/LMEB HENLEY Patented May 14, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING PIN Wilmer Henley, Baltimore, Md. Application December 11, 1943, Serial No. 513,835 I 7' (01. 273-32) 1 Claim.

This invention refers to the game of bowling and more particularly to the pins used in this game. It has among its objects to provide a pin structure that will follow the conventional design of bowling pins but have a greater capacity to withstand use, with normal wear and tear. Another object of the invention is to reduce the possibility of its chipping or surface tearing as is common in the usual type,of bowling pins. Still another object is to have the pins capable of being accurately centralized as well as pro vided with the aforesaid features. A further ob- I ject is to have the structure adaptable for varying the position of the center of gravity and thereby increase or decrease its capacityto roll or fall, as may be desired, and to make it produce additional sound efiects, while in motion after being struck by the ball, as may be desired.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

The conventional bowling pin is a solid wood structure, that is susceptible to surface breakage as it is struck from time to time on the same place by the ball. There is no natural way of controlling the position of the center of gravity, as the article is turned by hand and subject to several productional inaccuracies. The position of the center of gravity in the pin has considerable infiuence in the manner the pin will fall and roll when struck by the ball. The sound of bowling has a very useful and psychological effect on the players and observers, which adds to its attractiveness, and ordinarily any change in the structure or its material will tend to dull same and make the playing efiect less interesting. In this invention the conventional Din is taken and drilled, with a hole of small diameter passing along its center line to a point adjacent the center of gravity, from the bottom and partially filled with a suitable resilient substance. A passage is provided longitudinally through the substance and connects to a lateral angular vent passage leading to the exterior of the pin to a point close to'its middle plane. This drilling enables the maker to fill the hole with material that will vary the Weight of the pin and the location of the center of gravity, so that various effects can be produced in the motion of the article, when struck by the ball. As the pin is struck and travels along, the air is caught by the passages and increases its whistling efiect, giving the impression of greater speed and more effective striking power from the ball. The central passage takes up the effect of the striking by the ball by resiliently reacting to the pressure on the surface portion, du to the lack of rigid resistance at the center line. At the same time, any air compressed in the passage of the substance used therein, can escape through the vent passage.

In order to illustrate the invention by a suitable example, a drawing is provided with this description, in which:

Figure 1 is a general view of a bowling pin em.- bodying this invention, standing erect on a vertical plane; V

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the pin along line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

A conventional bowling pin l is indicated in the drawing, with the head portion 2 of usual form, and its body portion 3 enlarged and faced off at 4 to rest on the alley floor perpendicularly. Along the longitudinal axis, a chamber 5 of relatively small diameter is drilled from the base to a point near the normal center of gravit of the solid structure. From the top 6 of this chamber, a vent passage 1 of relatively minute diameter is provided, passing from the center line to the slanting exterior side 8 of the pin at angle of about 45. The chamber 5 is partly filled with resilient material I I, such as cork from the top to a suitable point above the base of the standard pin, as indicated in the drawing. The material is provided with a central vent hole or passage 9 of about the same diameter as that of the vent passage '1, to which it connects. An annular groove I0 is made in the wall of the chamber as indicated.

The playing of the ball against the pin, causes the external surface wall I! of the same to bend inwardly, since the central portion is an open chamber 5 that permits this action. The material II also, being resilient, also "gives as the pressure of the hit passes to the area in which it is located. At the same time the vent passages are reduced under the pressure and the air within them squeezed out. This action takes off the force from the specific area struck by the ball and reduces the possibility of its chipping because the resistance is resilient instead of being rigid. This prolongs the useful activity of the pin. There is no dullness of sound or other noticeable difi'erences in the playing action of the pin. The removal of the material from the chamber 5 reduces the weight of the pin slightly and raises its center of gravity. The introduction of the material ll lowers the center of gravity. The amount of such variation in the center of gravity location can be arranged to suit the player within certain limits, and make the effect of bowling more specifically suitable to him. The passage also increases the singing powers of the pin, while the vents have their own peculiar effects in addition to the increase in resiliency, and the reduction in tendencies to chip or break. The manner of securing the material II within the chamber may be done in an conventional manner, with the groove [0 facilitating this effect as Well as QWQ Z EQ @Qli g to a i? Q th l- While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form or in any other way otherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is 20 claimed is:

A bowling pin comprising a pin structure of conventional form and contour having a bellied body portion and a reduced and rounded head portion and a fiat base for facilitating its positioning perpendicularly, said body being chambered about its longitudinal axis from the base to a predetermined point within the body portion, a vent pass-age of relatively small cross-section running from the axis line of the pin at the 2 if th c l ll t. a n l 1 h Side wall surface of the body and away from the head portion thereof for venting the chamber at an angle and close thereto, and resilient material disposed in the chamber and filling same transversely and having a central vent passage therethrough arranged to connect with the first mentioned vent passage so as to vent the chamber below the material and its vent passage through the first mentioned passage to the external atmosphere substantially as described.

LMER E 

